Logging device.



G. H. STARBIRD.

LOGGING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 0, 1908.

Ptentd Jan. 12,1909;

anon Nor THE NQRRIS PETERS ca., WASHINGTON, n, c.

CHARLES H. STARBIRD, OF EUREKA, CALIFORNIA.

LOGGING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

Application filed April 5, 1908. Serial No. l25,511.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CrrAnLns H. STARBIRD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eureka, in the county of Humboldt and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Logging Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in logging devices and more particularly to means for gripping a log and attaching it to a moving cable or other hauling device.

The common practice of conveying logs fro n the pointwhere they are felled and stripped to a railway landing is to attach them to each other end to end and attach the foremost one to a moving cable which drags the load to the railway landing. The logs are attached to each other by driving into them grab hooks which are connected to each other and to the next leg. Owing to the great tension brought upon the grab hooks and particularly those upon the logs at the front of the load, they are driven so far into the logs as to injure much lumber.

The object of the present invention is to provide a log gripping device which is so constructed that the logs may be hauled without injury to the lumber and that they may be attached independently to the hauling cable or conveying device so that there is less tension upon the gripping means.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing my invention in use; Fig. 2 1s a plan view of the device; and Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the straps and its corner plates.

In the drawings 1 denotes a log or any other load to which my improved gripping device may be applied. The latter consists of two straps or loops 2 adapted to be passed angularly or diagonally around the ends of the logs, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and to be connected by a flexible or adjustable connection which will permit them to be drawn tightly upon the log.

The straps 2 are preferably constructed of heavy wire or metal rods that are sufficiently flexible to permit them to be shaped to engage the ends of the log and in order to rings 8, 9.

prevent them from becoming too deeply embedded in the same or embedded to such an extent as to injure the lumber, I provide upon each of them stop or guard plates 3. The latter may be fixed or adjustable and of any size and shape but 1 preferably make them angular so that they will fit over the opposite edges of the end of the log and attach them to the straps by passing the latter through alined apertures l, 5 formed in them so that they can slide upon the straps and adjust themselves to the log. It will be seen that by varying the space between the apertures l, 5 in each of the angular corner plates the depth to which the strap will cut into the edges of the end of the log may be varied as may be found necessary or desirable.

When the invention is used upon very heavy logs, the apertures 4t, 5 are arranged farther apart so that when the straps or wires 2 are placed under tension their portions between said apertures will cut into the edges of the log a distance sufficient to effectively secure the device upon the same and that atthe same time the fiat ends of said corner plates will prevent the remaining portions of the straps or wires from cutting into and injuring the log.

\Vhile I may provide any suitable means for connecting the straps or loops 2 and attaching them to the hauling cable or device, 1 preferably employ the connection illustrated, which consists of a cable or other flexible element 6, a pulley block 7, and two Each of the rings is attached to one of the loops or straps 2, preferably, by bending the ends of the same around the ring to provide eyes 10. The cable 6 has one of its ends secured to the ring 8 and its other end passed around the pulley 11 in the block 7, which latter is preferably constructed of a metal plate bent upon itself into U-form and having the pulley 11 journaled between its two arms and one of its arms extended and bent to form a hook 12 which engages the ring 9. The free end of the cable 6 may be fastened in any suitable manner to retain the device upon the log and, if desired, it may be used for attaching the log to the hauling cable (not illustrated). As illustrated in Fig. 1, the free end of the cable 6 passes through the ring 8 and is adapted to be attached to the hauling cable so that the weight of the log will put the cable 6 under tension and cause the gripping members to eflectively engage the ends of the log.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my improved gripping device may be p pickly and easily applied to and removed our logsor similar objects of. difli'erent sizes and that it serves as an effective gripping or fastening device which will cut or injure the log to a very slight extent.

While I have shown and described in detail the preferred embodiment of my invention it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction set forth and that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details may. he resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A gripping device of the character described comprisin two straps adapted to be arranged diagonally upon the ends of a log or the like, angular guard plates formed with apertures to receive sald straps and adapted to engage the edges of the log, whereby the portions of said straps between the apertures in said plates Will cut into the edges of the log While the ends of said plates will prevent the remaining portions of said straps from injuring the log, and a connection uniting said straps.

2. A gripping device of the character described comprising two straps adapted to be arranged diagonally upon the ends of a log or the like, angular guard plates formed with apertures to receive said straps and adapted to engage the edges of the log, whereby the portions of said straps between the apertures in said plates will cut into the edges of the logs while the ends of said lates will prevent the remainin portions of said straps from injuring the it guides carried by each of said straps, an a draft and then through the other guide.

3. A gripping device ofthe character described comprising two straps adapted to be arranged diagonally upon the ends of a log or the like, angular guard plates formed with apertures to receive said straps and adapted to engage the edges of the log, whereby the portions of said straps between the apertures in said plates will cut intothe edges of the logs while the ends of said plates will prevent the remaining portions of said straps from injuring the log, a ring uniting the ends of each of said straps, a pulley block carried by one of said rings and a cable attached to the other ring and passed around the pulley in said block, and then through the ring to which said cable is attached. 7

4. A gripping device of the character described comprising flexible wire straps adapted to be arranged diagonally upon the ends ofa log or the like, guard members arranged upon said wire straps and adapted to permit portions of them to cut into the log to a predetermined extent and means uniting said wire straps.

5. A gripping device of the character described comprising straps to pass angularly around the ends of a log or the like, apertured angular guard plates slidable upon the straps, rings at the inner ends of thestraps, a pulley block having a hook to engage one of the rings and a connecting cable attached to the other ring and engaged With the pulley block, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. STARBIRI). 

